You may be eligible for expedited processing of your citizenship application — here’s how

Permanent residents seeking a grant of citizenship can currently expect to have their applications processed within approximately 13 months—a wait time of over one year.

Certain individuals, however, may be eligible for urgent processing of their citizenship application if they are an “exceptional case” warranting this need.

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This article delves into what qualifies as an exceptional case and how to be considered for urgent processing of your Canadian citizenship application.

Who is eligible for urgent citizenship application processing?

In what Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) deems to be exceptional cases, you may be able to have your citizenship grant application processed faster than is standard.

While there is no strict list of what constitutes an exceptional case, IRCC has provided the following examples of situations that may qualify under such for expedited processing:

You need Canadian citizenship to secure or retain employment;
A family emergency (such as death or serious illness) requires travel, and you’re unable to get a passport in your current nationality; or
You’ve received a favourable federal court ruling on an appeal for a previous citizenship application.

Other situations may qualify if IRCC deems them to fit its definition of an exceptional case.

Considerations

All urgent processing requests are carefully assessed, though fitting an exceptional case need does not ensure that expedited processing will indeed be granted.

Even if it is, IRCC cannot guarantee your application will be processed within your required timeline.

Further, if you submit an application that does not satisfy exceptional case requirements, IRCC will follow standard processing protocols.

How to apply for urgent processing

If you have not yet submitted your citizenship grant application and wish to be considered for expedited citizenship grant processing, you must apply by mail.

It’s a relatively simple process that requires taking the following steps:

Step 1: Download, print, and complete the application package applicable to you in its entirety, making sure to fill out all necessary forms and answer all relevant questions.

Step 2: With your application, submit an explanation of why you are seeking expedited processing. Make sure to include any documentation that backs up your need for urgent processing.

Step 3: Place the application form [CIT 0002], explanation, and supporting documentation, required documents as per the document checklist, two citizenship-eligible photographs, and a fee payment receipt ($649.75 per adult / $100 per minor) in an envelope.

Step 4: On the envelope, write the following in large, dark letters: “Request Urgent Processing – Grant of Citizenship.”

Step 5: Mail your application to the address found in the instruction guide.

Are you still eligible for urgent processing if you’ve already applied?

You can still request expedited processing of your citizenship application if you’ve already applied—by mail or paper.

This can be done by navigating to IRCC’s online web form and filling out all required fields, including

Your full name, date or birth, email address, and phone number;
Your unique client identifier (UCI) or application number;

There will be a box at the bottom of the form titled “Tell us about your request,” in which you can provide an explanation of your need for urgent processing stating why your case is exceptional.

Make sure to attach any documentation that supports or verifies your explanation, taking the time to check that it is

In an accepted format: PDF, JPEG, TIFF, DOC, DOCX; and
An appropriate file size: Each file can be no more than 2MB.
- If you are sending several files, the total size can be no more than 3.5MB.
- If you need assistance reducing file size, you can visit IRCC’s webpage, which provides such guidance.

Schedule a Free Canadian Citizenship Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm